LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Bellarmine University women's basketball team suffered a 73-54 loss to Lewis on Thursday night at Knights Hall in Great Lakes Valley Conference action as the Flyers lived up to their No. 1 national ranking.

Freshman guard Raven Merriweather led Bellarmine (8-8, 3-5 GLVC) with 11 points and nine rebounds, while senior forward Morgan Clemons added 10 points and seven boards. Sophomore guard Whitney Hartlage sank a trio of 3-pointers in chipping in nine points, and junior guard Mackenzie Martinez accumulated five assists and four steals as the Knights played their first home game since Jan. 4 following five outings on the road.

Alexus Grayer came off the bench to score a game-high 17 points for Lewis (18-0, 8-0), which took a 35-23 lead at halftime. Mariyah Brawner-Henley piled up 16 rebounds and 15 points, GLVC leading scorer Jamie Johnson had 15 and Jess Reinhart contributed 12. The Flyers' 73 points was actually a dozen less than their nation's best average of 85.1 coming into the game, but they started pulling away just ahead of the intermission.

Nearly halfway through the first half, Bellarmine took a 14-11 lead on baskets by Merriweather and junior center Jennifer Smith. The Knights were within four with under three minutes remaining, but the Flyers ended the half on an 8-0 run, with Johnson hitting a drive moments before the buzzer.

Bellarmine cut its deficit to nine early in the second half on a 3-pointer by Hartlage, but Lewis' advantage swelled to 15 at the first media timeout and reached 20 midway through the frame. It reached as high as 29 with less than 5 minutes left.

Bellarmine forced Lewis into four more turnovers than the Knights accumulated, but the Flyers held a 51-37 rebounding advantage. BU struggled from the free throw line — which has been a strength of the Knights — hitting 6 of 15. Lewis shot 46.8 percent from the floor.

Bellarmine welcomes Wisconsin-Parkside at 1 p.m. (ET) on Saturday.

BOX SCORE (HTM)